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Budapest 2024 Olympic Bid Withdrawn: Government Blames Opposition

BUDAPEST, Hungary – The Hungarian government and pro-government media are blaming the opposition for "shattering the Olympic dream'" after authorities chose to withdraw Budapest's bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.

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The decision by the government, the Budapest mayor and the local Olympic committee late Wednesday came after it became clear that a new political party gathered more than enough signatures to force a referendum on the issue.

The government said it backed down because there was no longer a "national consensus" on the issue after several left-wing parties backed the referendum.

Thursday's headline in sports daily Nemzeti Sport read "We had a dream," while right-wing daily Magyar Hirlap led with "The left wing has again betrayed the nation" and the strongly pro-government newspaper Magyar Idok said "The opposition shattered our Olympic dreams."